Untrained staff handling deliveries led to 40 deaths in four months

Untrained staff and quacks handling deliveries across the district has emerged as one of the major reasons for the 40 infant deaths recorded over the past four months, a government review programme has shown. The infant death review programme, started to analyse and study the causes of such deaths, has shown that some of these fatalitiews could have been saved has the attendant physician been better trained.

Untrained staff and quacks handling deliveries across the district has emerged as one of the major reasons for the 40 infant deaths recorded over the past four months, a government review programme has shown. The infant death review programme, started to analyse and study the causes of such deaths, has shown that some of these fatalitiews could have been saved has the attendant physician been better trained.

Civil surgeon Dr Varinder Singh Mohi said that septicemia (bacteria in the blood that often occurs with severe life threatening infections) among the infants was the medical cause of the deaths.

"However, after a reviewing meeting of programme officers, we have found that such infections were spread after quacks and untrained personnel handled the delivery," the civil surgeon added."Severe infection among the infants had caused break down of nervous system, instant sinking of the heart and acute affect on working of lungs and kidneys of the infants", he said."The infection has led to a break-down of the nervous system, instant sinking of the heart and acute affect on working of lungs and kidneys of the infants."

Twenty one deaths were recorded in April and May, while 19 cases of infant death were reported in June and July.

Malnutrition among infants and mothers was the second factor that led to the deaths, he claimed."We have directed all medical officers in the district to try and increase the number of institutional deliveries , besides instructing them to provide well qualified medical and para medical staff in the rural areas, " Mohi added.

Auxiliary Nurse Mid-wives (ANMs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) have also been asked to start awareness programmes and ensure that pregnant women are aware of the need to take care of their health.